Saturday, March 27, 2010

Fwd: On The Coach

I'm on the coach with my mum heading to Syria right now. Wish I had bought a cheap mp3 player or brought that ancient walkman that
appeared a few days ago.
Oh good, it's only been over an hour since we've been on the road and the urge to pee is slight and I'm getting sleepy. Maybe I should have brought a pillow with me.
Earlier today, together with nahida and mum went out for a drive to pick up some documents from the car showroom and to visit grandma one
more time. But on the way they saw a big commotion outside Allawi's
headquarters and insisted they go congratulate him.
Mum and got me to do a radio yay Allawi thing before entering (I
regret not mentioning more freedom for the people and press). We then
sat waiting in a hall for a press conference in which he was to
appear. It all seemed to be going normal until the drum guys appeared
and did their anthems. By the time Allawi arrived, nearly everyone was
singing or clapping to the songs and half the room was standing on the
tables. Nahida disappeared past the crowd while my mum stayed behind
seated with me with our views with people and press that wouldn't get
off the tables and we weren't able to hear anything that was said
because the drumming and the singing was still going on behind us.
After the event we found nahida all happy that she got to speak to
allawi after he got off the stage. She even gave him a kiss. Both her and my mum then went to look for some guy so that they could write letters for a favour from Allawi. Nahida asked for a job for her sister and my mum one for me.
Damn no smoking coach. I know I'm supposed to quit but we're still in Iraq! I think my mum's lying about the no smoking rule and about the
man smoking behind me.
It's been four years since I've left Iraq. I've completely forgotten
how troublesome travelling is. It's only been four hours since we've
been on the road, sorry two hours that feel like four. It's a ten hour
drive according to mum. Will my phone survive the way to the borders?
I'm going to try to nap till the next stop.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

All the best and wish u a happy trip:)
Keep us updated man.

Shaggy said...

Mother WAS lying!

Mister Ghost said...

If this is the end, you've done a great job with your blog, Shaggy. You probably should have written a book. Think how cool it would be to see yourself on Amazon.

Shaggy said...

It would be a good note to end it with, even though it lacks a climax doesn't it. Ah we'll see.
I think it would take a lot of editing and some dramatization to make it into a book. But would that be allowed?

Mister Ghost said...

Write a fictionalized account based on the blog and your life then, Shaggy. Steam it up with some good sex and drugs stuff though, and toss in some wild adventures and escapes - like this trip to Syria, rather than just being a bland boring monotonous trip, you and your mother are raging a wild gun battle with potential kidnappers.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Allawi can give you the job of official "midnight toker." Someone has to do it, so it might as well be you, Shaggs. Afghan hash? Not a problem, let Shaggs quality-check that stuff to see if it's primo or not.

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Anonymous said...

Mister Ghost,

I could see a really wild "Fear and Loathing in Damascus," with Shaggy ripped on the bus filled with monstrous characters and his Mom popping pills while she tells Shaggy that smoking is forbidden (meanwhile the dude sitting across from Shaggy seems to have a foot-long knife of some kind sticking out of the top of his boot and is smoking up a storm).

Of course, Raed Jarrar would have to inserted into the text, swilling alcohol as he plans his next scam.

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